Permutation-lock.



B. s. BURNETT.

PERMUTATION LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31. 1915.

1,163,504, Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

B. S. BURNETT.

PERMUTATION LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED 1ULY3I. 19:5

1 ,163,504. Patentd Dec. 7, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- toumuu PLANQGRAI'H COQWASMINGTGN. D. c.

BUELL S. BURNETT, OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

' PERMUTATION-LOOK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. *7, 1915 Application filed July 81, 1915. Serial No. 42,978.

To aZZ whom it nmg concern:

Be it known that 1, BUELL S. BURNETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jacksonville, in the county of Duvall and State of Florida, have invented new and use ful Improvements in Permutation-Locks, of whi h the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in permutation locks, proposing a construction of the broad or general type disclosed in my U. 5. Patent No. 1,036,653 of April 20, 1915, the salient structural. featuresof which are a sliding bolt having projections, ring-like tumblers cooperating with one of the projecticns on the bolt, and a central maintainbler for operating the ring-like tumblers and for cooperation with another projection on the bolt, all these elements being fitted within a lock casin and the main tumbler being connected with a rotatable operating knob and dial plate. I

The principal objects of the present inrention are to provide a lock ofthe typo identified which, in comparison with the construction shown in my said patent, shall be simpler in its details of construction and organization, which may be manufactured with greater facility and at less expense, which shall be more compact, and, hence, capable of a greater number of practical adaptations, which shall be. more readily accessible for such purposes as may be required, and the parts of which may be adjusted for the purpose of varying the combination withthe greatest ease and facility.

The above objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds,

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated ,in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of the im proved lock, the bolt being proiected; Fi 9. is a rear elevation thereof with the back plate and the adioiningtumbler removed to a view similar-to Figs-1E, but showing the bolt projected; Fig. 6 is a horizontal secticnal view on the line 6-4) of Fig. ,4; Fig.-

7 is a sectional vieu in the plane'of the lock showing more particularly'the relation between the maintumblerland thesliding bolt; Fig. 8 is a detail sectional View on the line 8 perspective View showing in disassembled relation thevarious elements of the lock.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The operating elements are assembled with relation to a base vplate 1 having at its margin-a forwardly projecting flange 2 and which, in combination with a back plate 3 and spacing rings and 5, provides the case of the lock. These parts are here shown as circular, but they may have any desired size and shape. The back plate 3 is secured by screws which take into the base 1 and pass through openings in the rings 4: and 5 (see Fig. 6) and the rings 1 and 5 are secured against the base plate 1, preferably, by. rivets 6 (see Figs. 7 and 8). although screws may housed. if desired. The lock includes a sliding bolt 7 which is co-planar with the bcdy or major portion ofthe plate 1 and is movable radially in a slot 8 extending from a central enlarged opening 9 formed in said plate to an annular depressed portion ll) which connects the body of the plate 1 and theflange 2; The latter has a peripheral slot 11 in line with the radial slot 8 and through which the head 7 of the bolt? projects.

The bolt 7 is pro ected by a main tum- 8 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a composite.

a pair of ring-like tumblers 1 1 and 15,.hercafter, for convenience, termed .ring? tum-. blurs.

The flange 2 provides a housing for a plate 16 hereafter called a dial plate and which is fitted against the plate 1. The plate 16 is provided with a marginal flange 17 which closely fits the inner circamfen,

'ential face of the flange 2, the outer face of which is flushwith the front edge of said fiangeflQ. The flange 17 carries the dial indications. these being moved acrcss an indicat: ing point or line 18 formed (:1 the front of the flange 2. The dial plate 16 andthe main tumbler 12 are rotated by an operating knob 19 having a flat-sided, preferably octagonal,

arbor 20which passes through conformablecentralopenings in the plate 16 and inthe,

threaded stud 22 projecting from the inner e'nd'of the arbor 20.

For the purpose of correlating the tumbler 12 and the bolt 7, said tumbler has a radial recess 23 of general V-form which extends from the central opening of the tumbler to I the annular curved margin thereof and the bolt has its lower edge formed with a projection 24 which, when the bolt is retracted, enters fully into the recess, as shown in'Fig. 7 and when the bolt is projected, rides or bears upon the annularly curved marginal.

portion of the tumbler. To project the bolt 7, the tumbler 12 is rotated in either direction from the position shown in Fig. 7,and in accordance with its direction of rotation, either of'the inclined sides of the recess 23 will engage the projection 24, and, exerting a cam action thereon, will raise or project the bolt in the obvious manner. The depressed portion 10 of the plate 1 provides for a disk-shaped recess or counter-sink 25 at the rear side of said plate which has the same diameter as the ring tumbler 14 and in which said tumbler is fitted directly against therear side of. the plate 1. The tumbler 14 is provided at themargin of its central opening with a pair of oppositely disposed projections 26 which are directed toward the rear plate 3. The tumbler 15 is provided at the margin of its central opening with a j pair of oppositely disposed radial co-planar projections 27 which, in the course of the rotation of thetumbler 14, are engaged by the projections 26. The projections 26 are, in turn, engaged by oppositely disposed pro-- jections 28 which are functional parts of the main tumbler 12, but, as a matter of convenience, are formed on a plate 29 fitted on the arbor 20 for rotation therewith and held against the rear face of the main tumbler 12 by the nut 21, The plate 29 is of greater diameter than the tumbler 12 and its marginal portion bears against the rear face of the plate 1 and thereby retains the plate 16 and the tumbler 12 in position.

The tumbler 14 is confined in its seat 25 by the ring 4. The ring 5 fits directly against the ring, 4 but is of less width than the ring 4, whereby the two rings, in conjunction, provide an angularseat 30 for the tumbler 15', said tumbler fitting within'the central opening of the ring 5, coplanar with said ring.

The bolt 7 is correlated to the tumblers 14 and 15 by a; lateral projection 31 which, when the bolt is retracted, enters into alining marginal recesses of said tumblers. To

increase the number of possible combinations, each of the tumblers 14 and 15 has a palrhofmargmal recesses, those of the tumbler 14 being designated 32 and 33, and those the back plate 3 and that the combination is i such that the recess 34 of the tumbler 15'will aline with the recess 32 of the tumbler 14.

The rings 4 and 5 have their central open-- ings provided with outwardly directed recesses 36 and 37 into which the projection 31 of the bolt 7 enters in the retracted relation of said bolt, as shown inFig. 2.

In assembling the parts, the tumbler 14 is fitted in its seat 25 and the rings '4 and 5 are thereupon connected to the plate 1, the ring 4 being in adjacency to said tumbler. The unit composed of the knob 19, the dial plate 16 and the tumbler 12 is next fitted in position, the dial plate being fitted against the front side of the plate 1 andthe tumbler 12 being fitted in the opening 9 of said plate with its recess'23 in alinement with the projection 24 of the bolt 7; Thereupon the plate 29 is fitted on the arbor 20 and against therear face of the plate 1 and the nut 21 is backed against the plate 29; The tumbler 14 is then turned to bring one of its marginal recesses into line with the projection 31 of the bolt 7 and the bolt is thereupon retracted by its spring 13. The tumbler 15 is next fitted against its seat 30 and within the ring 5, with one of its marginal recesses in alinement with the projection 31, after which the rear plate 3 is attached by its securing screws.

In ooeratin the lock EISSUD'HDO' that the z a I n a I parts are in the positions represented in Figs. 3 and 4, with the bolt retracted, rotation of the knob 19 in either direction will, through the intermediary of the tumbler 12, project the bolt in the manner explained, the projection 24 of the bolt riding on tho annularly curved margin of the tumbler'12, Continued rotation of the kncb'19 will cause the tumblers 14 and 15 to move, whereby bler '12 alines with the projection 24: and the marginal recesses of the tumblers let and 15 aline with one another and with the projection 31 of the bolt 7 synchronously with the alinement of the recess 23 and theprojection 24: of said bolt.

To effect the withdrawal of the bolt, assumingthat a definite combination has been decided upon, and further assuming that the recesses 34 and 32 of the tumblers 15 and 14 are to be moved into alinement with one another and with the projection 31 of the bolt 7, the operation is, of course, the reverse of that just described, and is, in brief, as follows: The dial is first rotated either to theright orto the left, according as the particular combination calls for, until the figure thereon corresponding to the first figure of the combination comes under the indicating point 18. This rotation is transmitted from the dial plate directly to the plate 29, and thence successively to the tumblers 141and15, the recess 31 in the latter tumbler being brought into alinement with the projection 31 of the bolt 7 exactly at the moment when the aforesaid figure on the dial alines with the indicating point. Rotation of the dial plate is then reversed and continued until the dial figure corresponding to the second figure of the combination comes under the indicating point, at which time, 'the recess 32in the tumbler '14:, is brought into alinement with the projection 31 of the bolt 7,,and consequently into registration withthe notch 3-1 of the tumbler 15, the tum bler 15 first set remaining stationary owing to the factthat the projections 26 move away from instead of toward, the projeotions 27, due to the reversee direction of rotation. Finally, the dial plate is again rotated in the same direction as during its initial actuation, until the figure thereon corresponding to the third and last figure of the combination comes under the indicating point 18, thereby bringing the recess 23 of the tumbler 12 under the projection 21 of the bolt, whereupon said bolt isautomatically forced inward by the action of its spring 13, theprojections 28 of the plate 29 moving away from the projections 26 of thetumbler 1 1 and leaving the latter idle. 4 Owing to the octagonal cross-section of thearbor20 and tothe conforming outlines of the central openings of the dial plate 16, the tumbler 12 and the plate 29 which are fitted on said arbor, it will be apparent that the dialplate, the tumbler 12 and the plate 29 are operatively coupled together whereby during the continuance of any given combination they occupy relatively fixed positicns; on the other hand, such positions may be varied at will by simply removing the nut 21 and moving either the plate 29 or; the tumbler 12 relatively to one another, the nut 21 being thereafter backed against the tration, that the tumbler 15 has a fiat side X adjacent the back plate 3 and thatits recess 31 is to bealined with the recess 32 of the tumbler 14 upon the completion of the first and second movements of the dial plate. The tumbler 15 may, however, be moved relatively to the tumbler 1st for the purpose of varying the combination in the following ways: First, while having its side X adjacent the back plate 3, the tumbler 15 may be moved whereby upon the completion of the second movement of the dial plate its recess 35 will aline with the recess 32 of the tumbler 1 1. Or, the tumbler 15 may beset so that its opposite fiat face Y is adjacent the back plate 3 and, when so set, may occupy either of two positions, in one of which its recess3 l will aline with the recess32 of the tumbler t upon the completion of the second movement of-the dial plate, and in the other of which its recess 35 will aline with the recess 32 of the tumbler 11 upon the completion of the second movement of the dial plate;. The tumbler 15 may thus be set in four different positions w ierein either of its recesses 31 or 35, as the case may be, will aline with the recess 32 of the tumbler 14. Thus, four different combinationsare possible by vvarying the position of the tumbler 15 relatively to the recess 32 of the tumbler 1 1. 7

' Other changes and combinations may be made bysetting the tumbler l t so that its recess33 will aline with the bolt 31 upon the completion of the first movement of the dial plate and the tumbler 15 may be, in

like manner, set in any one of four different positions relative to the recess of the tumbler 11; that is, when the sideXofthe tumbler. 15 adjoins the plate 3, the tumbler 15 may be set in either of two positions whereby uponthe completion of thesecond movement of the combination either its recess 31 or its recess35w1llahne with the recess of the tumbler lt, or, the tumbler 15 may be tumblers and15, eight .changes inco1nbination are possible when the tumblers 14: and 15 are constructed as shown. The possible comblnations may be multiplied 1ndefinitely by other, changes,in the manner bolt so that its pro ection 31 is spaced from the peripheral edges of the tumblers 14 and 15 and also prevents said'projection 31 from entering the recess in the ring tumblers 14 and 15, or either of them, until the setting of the tumblers has been completed. In this way, itis impossible for the operator todetermine by feeling when the recesses are brought under the projection, so that noassistance is thus given to an unauthorized or improper manipulation of the lock to open the same.

Theimproved lock is capable of an indefinite number of practical applications or adaptations. As shown, it is a ranged as a drawer lock and is fitted in an opening A which extends wholly through the drawer,

being secured in position by screws B which connect the flange 2 and the wall of the drawer in which the lock is set, as shown in Fig. 7.. The drawer has an opening 0 for the bolt 7 and the drawer casing has a keeper opening D for said bolt, the said openings being preferably provided with face or wear plates 0 and (Z, respectively, as is usual.

The improved lock may be manufactured with great facility and'economy, not only because the number of parts required is reduced to a minimum and because the parts are of the simplest possible construction, but also because the parts which form the lock casing,the tumblers and the dial plates may be produced by stamping and require no machinin The construction is, moreover, verycompact or thin. This advantageous result is due, in part, to the arrangement of the bolt 7 and of the tumbler 12 in coplanar relation to the plate 1; in part, to the utilization of the spacing rings 1 and 5 as elements of the lock case and to the immediate juxtaposition of these rings; in part, to the perfectly fiat construction of the juxtaposed elements; and in part to the co-planar relation of thetumbler 15 to the ring 1, to the arrangement of the tumbler 14: in a countersunk seat in the plate 1, and the utilization of the ring a to retain the tumbler 14 and also to provide a seat for the tumbler 15. By virtue of its compactnessvor thinness, the improved lock is notonly rendered neat and attractive in appearance, but itis adapted for many useful applications forwhich thicker or less, compact lock construction would not be well suited.

Having fully described my invention, I clai1n:

1. In a permutationlock, in combination, a case comprising abase plate, juxtaposed spacing rings adjacent the rear side of said base plate and a back plate imposed on said spacing rings, a sliding bolt arranged in coplanar relation to said base plate, a main tumbler also arranged in co-planar relation to said base plate and operative, by its rotation, to effect the projection of said bolt, an operating element arranged at the front side of said baseplate and with which the main tumbler'has operative rigid connection, a pair of rotatable annular tumblers, one of which is confined by the inner spacing ring against the rear side of the base plate and the other of whichis co-planar with the outer spacing ring and is confined by the back plate against the inner spacing ring,

the plate having afprojection forcooperation with the main tumbler and having an other projection for co'iperation with the annular tumblers, all of said tumblers having peripheral recesses to receive the adjacent projections'of said bolt and the annular'tumblers being free of connection with said operating element, and 'co-acting means associated with said tumblers for transmit- "tin'g rotary movement from one to another.

In a permutation lock, in C0111b11'121t1011,.

a case comprising a base plate, juxtaposed spacing rings adjacent the rear side of said base plate and a back plate imposed on said spacing rings, a sliding bolt arranged in co-' planar relation to said base plate, a. main tumbler also arranged in co-planar relation to said base plate and operative by itsro tation to effect the projection of said bolt, an operating element arranged at the front side of said base plate and having a flat sided arbor, the main tumbler having a central. opening conformable to thecrosssection of said arbor and being removably fitted thereon, a nut holding the main tumbler. on saidarbor and holding the mam tlll'l'lr' bler and the operating element in' relation. to the base plate, a pair of rotatable annular tumblers, one oflwhich is confined by the planar with the outer spacing ring-' and 1s" confined by the back plate against the inner spacing ring, the bolt having a projection for cooperation with the main tumbler and having another projection for cooperation with the annular tumblers, all of said tumblers having peripheral recesses toreceive the adjacent projections of said bolt and' the annular tumblers being free of co11nec-- ticn with said operating element, and co acting-means associated with said tumblers the tamer which is co-planarn'ith the outer'spacing ring and is confined by the hdiameterand provided to receive tl1eadja' cent pro ection of said bolt, theannular tum-' blers belrg free of connecticn -wlth sa1d oper- 1'5 V cratedwwtlrsard tumblers for-"transmitting. rotary movement from one toanother, the anback plate against the inner spacing ring, the bolt having a pro ection for cooperatlon with the main tumbler and having another pro ecticn fcr cooperation wlth the annular tumblers, the main' tumbler having a peripheral recesstoreceive the adjacent pro-' jecticn of said bolt and the annular tumblers each having a pair of peripheral re'cessesar- IHHgBCltIClJtICGHt and atthe same side of a ating element, 'and 'co-actingmeans asso n'ular tumblerwhich adjoins the back plate being reversible whereby it may present either. or 1ts flat facestoward said back plate and in either of sald positions being ad ustablewithrelation to; the other annulartumbler whereby it may present either of itsrecesses for registry with aselected recess of said other annular tumbler, i

' In a permutation lccln'in combination,

a case," a bolt slidably mounted therein and provided with projections, a pairof rotatable, annular tumblers arrangedwi'thin said case in concentric relation, a rotatable main tumbler, an operating element rigidly con-. ne'cted with the main tumbler and free of 7 connection withthe annular tumblers', and

' projections thereof, the main tumbler and co-acting means provided upon said tumblers the inner annular tumbler having recesses for co'o' eration' with the ad'acent ro'ec-" tions of the bolt and the outer annular tumbler having a pairof recesses arranged ada'cent to'and at one, side of a diameter to receive the adjacent projection of the bolt,

said outer annular tumbler being reversible whereby it may present either ofits flat faces toward the inner annular tumbler and in :either ofits said positions being adjustable with relation to the inner annular tumbler,whereby it may present either of its recesses for registry w th the recesses of the inner; annular tumbler.

In-a permutaticn lock, in combination,

a. case comprising a base plate having: at its frcnt side a circumscribmg marginal flange,

juxtaposed spacing rings adjacent therear side of said base plate and, a back plate imposed on said 'spacing rings, a sliding bolt arranged in co-planar relation to said base plate,"theflange-having a slotfor the head of said bolt, a main tumbler also arranged in co-planar relation to said base plate and operativeby its rotation to effect the-projection of said bolt, an operating element arranged at the front side of said base plate and with which the main tumbler has opera tiverigidconnection, a dial plate carried by said operating element and also, arranged at thefrontfside of said base plate, a pair of forcoeperation with the annular tumblers,

all of saidtumblershaving peripheral recesses to receive the ad acent pro ect ons of. said bolt and the annular tumblers being free of connection with said operating ele-K' said tumblers for transmitting rotary'move flment from one to another.

9.: In a permutation lcck, in combination,

a case comprising a base plate having at its front side a circumscribing marginal flange, juxtaposedspacing rings adjacent the rear side of said base plate and a back plate imposed'on said spacing rings, a sliding bolt arranged in co-planar relation to said base plate, the flange having a slot for the head of said bolt, a main, tumbler also arranged in co-planarrelationto said base plate and operative by its rotation to effect the projection of said bolt, an operating element arranged at the front side of said base plate and with which the main tumbler hasoperative rigid connection, a dial plate carried by said operatin element and also arranged at 1 f the front slde otsald base plate, a pair off rotatable annular tumblers, one of which is confined by'the inner spacing ring against the rear side oft-he base plate and the other of which lS'CO-Plilllfil with the outer spac-.

lng ring and is confined by the backplate nent, and co-acting means associated with against the inner spacing ring, the bolt hav-v ing a projection for cooperation'with the main tumbler and having another projection for cooperation with the annular tumblers, all of said tumblers having peripheral recesses to receive the adjacent projections of said bolt and the annular tumblers being free of connection with said operating ele-v ment, coacting means associated with. said tumblers for transmitting rotary movement from cne toanother, the dial plate having a marginal flange which is flush with the front face of the flange of said base plate and is spaced from said base plate, and a spring for retracting said bolt and arranged in the space between the flange of said dial plates-and said base plate, one end of the spring-being connected to said bolt'and the other end thereof being connected to the flange of said base plate.

10. In a permutation lock, in combination, a case comprising a base plate, a back plate and spacing means between the back plate and the base plate, a sliding bolt arranged in co-planar relation to said base plate, a main tumbler also arranged in coplanar relation to said base plate and operative by its rotation to effect the projection of said bolt, an operating element arranged at the front side of said base plate and with which the main tumbler has operative rigid connection, a pair of rotatable annular tumblers arranged in juxtaposed concentric relation adjacent the rear side of the base plate and between the latter and the back plate, the bolt having a projection for cooperation with the main tumbler and having another projection for cooperation with the annular tumblers, all of said tumblers having peripheral recesses to receive the adjacent projections of said bolt and the annular tumblers being free of connection with said operating element, and co-acting means associated with said tumblers for transmitting rotary movement from one to another.

11. In a permutation lock, in combination, a case comprising a base plate, a back plate and spacing means between the back plate and the base plate, a sliding bolt arranged in coplanar relation to said base plate, a main tumbler also arranged in co-planar relation to said base plate and operative by its rotation to effect the projection of said bolt, an operating clement arranged at the front side of said base plate and with which the main tumbler has operative rigid connection, a pair of rotatable annular tumblers arranged in juxtaposed concentric relation adjacent the rear side of the base plate and between the latter and the back plate, the bolt having a projection for cooperation with the main tumbler and having another projection for cooperation with the annulartumblers, all of said tumblers having peripheral recesses to receive the adjacent projections of said bolt and the annular tumblers being free of connection with said operating element, co-acting means associated with said tumblers for transmitting rotary movement from one to another, a dial plate carried by said operating element and arranged adjacent the front side of the base plate, the latter having an upwardly projectin cireumscribing marginal flange and the dial plate having a marginal flange in spaced relation to the base plate, and a spring for retracting said bolt arranged in the space between the marginal flange of the dial plate and the base plate and having one end secured to the flange of the base plate and the other end secured to said bolt.

12. In a permutation lock, in combination, a case comprising a base plate, a back plate and spacing means between the back plate and the base plate, a sliding bolt arranged in co-planar relation to said base plate, a main tumbler also arranged in co-planar re lation to said base plate and operative by its rotation to effect the projection of said bolt, an operating element arranged at the front side of said base plate and with which the main tumbler has operative rigid connection, a pair of rotatable annular tumblers arranged in juxtaposed concentric relation adjacent the rear side of the base plate and between the latter and the back plate, the base plate having a countersunk seat for the inner of said annular tumblers, the bolt having a projection for cooperation with the main tumbler and having another projection for cooperation with the annular tumblers, all of said tumblers having peripheral recesses to receive the adjacent projections of said bolt and the annular tumblers being free of connection with said operating element, and co-acting means associated with said tumblers for transmitting rotary movement from one to another.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BUELL S. BURNETT.

Witnesses:

A. Y. MILAM, Boer. R. MILAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

